Reflections
by EmberskyofShadowClan
Summary: All Daisykit wanted was to live her own life. Sadly, that can't happen. Forced by her parents to become a warrior, she lives in misery. Finally, she snaps and runs away, becoming a feared killer. One look at her reflection might be the key to saving her... ADOPTED FROM GRASSWING OF WINGCLAN
1. Prologue

**Hi guys! I've decided to start a new story- but don't worry; I'll still update B&amp;K. This is adopted from Grasswing of Wingclan (who, by the way, is a very skilled author). So… here we go!**

**Allegiances:**

**ThunderClan:**

**Leader:**

Mossystar: Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Deputy:**

Ashcloud: Dark gray tom with yellow eyes (**Apprentice:** Redpaw)

**Medicine Cat:**

Pinetail: Dark reddish-brown she-cat with green eyes

**Warriors:**

Ambersun: Golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Flamefoot: Pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes (**Apprentice: **Blossompaw)

Brownflight: Light brown tabby tom with green eyes

Silverblaze: Silver spotted tom with blue eyes

Shadefur: Dark gray, almost black tom with amber eyes (**Apprentice:** Hawkpaw)

Fernpool: Dark brown she-cat with amber eyes (**Apprentice: **Toadpaw)

Gingerstep: Pale ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Cloverpelt: Pure white she-cat with blue eyes (**Apprentice: **Leopardpaw)

Frostcloud: Silver-and-gray dappled she-cat with blue-green eyes

Birchlight: Tan tabby tom with amber eyes (**Apprentice: **Moonpaw)

Heatherpelt: Golden-brown she-cat with green eyes

Owlfeather: Brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Cloudwing: White tom with black paws and green eyes

**Apprentices:**

Redpaw: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Blossompaw: Black-and-tan she-cat with amber eyes

Hawkpaw: Black tom with bright blue eyes

Toadpaw: Ginger tom with green eyes

Leopardpaw: Spotted golden tom with green eyes

Moonpaw: Silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Queens:**

Vineflower: Dark brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (Expecting Silverblaze's kits)

Leaftail: Brown-and-white she-cat with blue eyes (**Kits:** Daisykit, Ivykit, Rosekit)

Mothpelt: Pale gray she-cat with amber eyes (**Kits:** Spiderkit, Graykit, Brackenkit, Morningkit)

**Elders:**

Robinsong: Light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Goldenfur: Golden-and-white dappled tom with green eyes

Featherflight: Black-and-silver tom with blue eyes

**WindClan:**

**Leader:**

Whitestar: White tom with blue eyes

**Deputy:**

Cedarpelt: Black-and-brown tom with green eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Gorsewhisker: Tan tabby she-cat with pale green eyes (**Apprentice: **Reedpaw)

**Warriors:**

Bluefeather: Silvery-blue she-cat with blue eyes

Runningfoot: Golden-brown tom with amber eyes

Lilystem: Pale ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Swiftleap: Black she-cat with dark green eyes (**Apprentice:** Falconpaw)

Darkblaze: Very dark brown spotted tom with green eyes

Pebblefur: Tan she-cat with amber eyes

Waspwing: Black-and-white tom with blue eyes (**Apprentice: **Duskpaw)

Sweetblossom: Reddish-brown she-cat with green eyes

Dapplewhisker: Spotted gray tom with amber eyes

Berryleaf: Tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Reedpaw: Pale ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Falconpaw: Light brown tom with green eyes

Duskpaw: Dark reddish-ginger tom with blazing green eyes

**Queens:**

Willowfall: Black she-cat with pale gray spots and blue eyes (**Kits: **Russetkit, Firekit)

Echoflame: Silvery-blue tabby she-cat with green eyes (**Kits: **Adderkit, Jaykit, Oakkit)

**Elders:**

Tawnystorm: Dappled brown-and-white tom with amber eyes

Nightheart: Black she-cat with blue eyes

**RiverClan:**

**Leader:**

Honeystar: Golden she-cat with green eyes

**Deputy:**

Maplefrost: Tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Hazelfur: Brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

**Warriors:**

Thornstrike: Broad-shouldered gray tabby tom with amber eyes

Russetheart: Ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Rainfeather: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes (**Apprentice: **Cinderpaw)

Crowflight: Black tom with a white underbelly and green eyes

Sandclaw: Cream-colored tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Petalwhisker: Brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Grasspelt: Fluffy white tom with green eyes (**Apprentice: **Hailpaw)

Icefeather: Pure white tom with amber eyes (**Apprentice:** Specklepaw)

Mouseleap: Pale gray tabby tom with green eyes

Stormflower: Pretty white-and-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Troutfur: Dappled black-and-gray tom with amber eyes

Snowfall: White tom with blue eyes

Foxflame: Dark red tabby tom with green eyes

**Apprentices:**

Cinderpaw: Dark gray tom with amber eyes

Hailpaw: Light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Specklepaw: Black she-cat with white spots and blue eyes

**Queens:**

Poppystem: Tan she-cat with blue eyes (Expecting Grasspelt's kits)

Lakestream: Silver dappled she-cat with pale green eyes (Expecting Crowflight's kits)

Spottedfur: Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (**Kits:** Dustkit, Blackkit, Rosekit, Rowankit)

**Elders:**

Appletail: Dark brown tabby tom with a white paw and amber eyes

Tigerfang: Lithe brown she-cat with green eyes

Mudfall: Grayish-brown tom with amber eyes

**ShadowClan:**

**Leader:**

Ravenstar: Black tom with white spots and blue eyes

**Deputy:**

Dawnflight: Bright ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Thrushwing: Pale gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes (**Apprentice: **Dewpaw)

**Warriors:**

Smokefur: Dark gray she-cat with green eyes

Littleclaw: Small brown tom with amber eyes (**Apprentice:** Otterpaw)

Lizardtail: Black tom with amber eyes

Rootstrike: Strong ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Wolfcall: Fluffy gray tom with yellow eyes

Dovefeather: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes (**Apprentice: **Barkpaw)

Lionclaw: Golden-brown tom with amber eyes

Brightflower: White she-cat with brown spots and blue eyes

Blazingstripe: Dark gray tabby tom with green eyes (**Apprentice: **Flowerpaw)

Twigheart: Tan tabby tom with yellow eyes

Seedflight: Black she-cat with amber eyes

Brindlewing: Pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentices:**

Dewpaw: Black-and-brown spotted tom with amber eyes

Otterpaw: Silvery-gray tom with blue eyes

Barkpaw: Dark brown she-cat with amber eyes

Flowerpaw: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Queens:**

Briarflame: Pale gray she-cat with amber eyes (Expecting Lizardtail's kits)

Embersky: Dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (**Kits: **Fawnkit, Sootkit)

Lightshine: White she-cat with a gray tail-tip and amber eyes (**Kits:** Bramblekit, Swankit, Acornkit)

**Elders:**

Birdwing: Gray-and-brown she-cat with blue eyes

Marshsong: Black she-cat with green eyes

Thistlebranch: Tan tabby tom with green eyes

**Prologue:**

A screech echoed throughout ThunderClan's camp. Hearing it, many cats stopped what they were doing to glance, concerned, at the nursery. Inside, a brown-and-white she-cat lay on a mossy nest, her limbs splayed around her. Her stomach, swelling with unborn kits, rippled harshly as she writhed. Next to her, a reddish-brown she-cat stood by, placing her paw at the queen's stomach.

"_Get your filthy paw off my stomach, Pinetail,"_ the brown-and-white she-cat hissed through clenched teeth.

"Sorry, Leaftail" Pinetail meowed, "I know it hurts. But your kits will be out soon. Just hold on a little longer."

Leaftail convulsed, knocking Pinetail away. She screamed again, and the first kit slid out. Pinetail quickly grabbed it and nipped the sac open. "A she-cat," she told Leaftail, placing the kit at her mother's side. Leaftail turned her head to gaze at her firstborn, when another convulsion wracked her body and she hissed and flailed. Soon, the second kit was out. "Another she-cat!" Pinetail exclaimed, obviously trying to take the queen's mind off the pain.

"Am I done?" Leaftail panted, until she was cut off by another spasm.

"Only one more to go," meowed Pinetail, causing Leaftail to turn and hiss at her. When the final kit came, Leaftail wailed so loudly that Owlfeather, her mate, rushed into the nursery with wide, scared eyes.

"Is something wrong? Is Leaftail all right? What happened? Do you-"

"Enough!" Pinetail hissed. "Everything is fine… Congratulations, Owlfeather," she added after a moment, "You're a father!"

"A-A f-father? M-Me?" Owlfeather asked breathlessly, looking as though he were about to faint.

"Yes," Pinetail sighed, exasperated. "I'll leave you two alone to name them. Don't take too long, though, Leaftail needs rest.

With that note, the medicine cat whirled around and stalked out of the nursery. Owlfeather ignored her, and instead padded over to his mate and kits.

Leaftail purred as her three kits suckled, then glanced up at Owlfeather. "Three kits, all female," she meowed, letting her head droop onto the nest. "Do you want to help me name them?"

"Of course." Owlfeather gazed in shameless awe upon his new family. "They're so beautiful. I hope our names can do them justice."

"Do you have any ideas?" Leaftail asked. "Because I've always loved flowers and plants, but the name 'Flowerkit' just doesn't have a nice ring to it."

"Let's see," Owlfeather murmured, "Plants... _Plants…_" He gestured at the first one, a pretty grayish-red kit. "She's red…Red like a rose."

"Rosekit!" Leaftail gasped. "It's _perfect!_ But what about the others?"

"The second is white, with a few black spots dappling her flanks. They remind me of flower petals. So another flower, to go along with the theme?"

"Yes! Flowers… There are lilies and lilacs and irises, and then the herbal flowers, like borage and chamomile and daisy- _Daisy!_ That's it! Daisykit!"

"Daisykit," Owlfeather purred. "It's a very pretty name!"

"So we have Rosekit and Daisykit, but what about the third kit?" Leaftail wondered.

"She's stronger than her siblings," Owlfeather observed. "It almost doesn't seem right to name her after a fragile flower."

"A plant, then. There are several strong yet pretty-sounding plant names that aren't flowers…"

Just then, the last kit pushed her siblings aside to gain more of her mother's milk, causing Leaftail to grunt in surprise and the other kits to squeak angrily. "Wow, she's… She's… "

"Greedy?" Owlfeather suggested dryly. "That reminds me of a plant… Isn't ivy pretty invasive?"

"It is. So… Ivykit? I like it."

"Perfect. Rosekit, Daisykit, and Ivykit. My three little blossoms.

**Yes, I know it's a really cliché way to start a story. Sorry about that; it'll get better soon! Anyway… Not much to say, except PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Considering it's me, this was a pretty fast update, don't you think? And if you're looking at this, could you also check out my other story, Betrayals and Kittypets? The most recent chapter I've posted has no reviews. Well, I don't have much else to say, except for review replies. **

**tigerstripe: Thanks for the review! I hope you continue to like this story!**

**Grasswing of WingClan: Thank you so much! I'll try to do your idea justice!**

**So… I just hope we keep getting AT LEAST a few reviews per chapter! This is directed at you, whoever's reading this…**

Daisykit _just didn't understand _how Rosekit could wake up so early. It was barely dawn, for StarClan's sake! She rolled onto her stomach and pressed her paws to her eyes, blocking out the light of the sun. Rosekit continued pestering her, oblivious to her sister's dislike of mornings. "C'mon! Get up! Father's back from patrol! Maybe he brought us something!"

Blindly, Daisykit reached out a paw and smacked her sister on the nose. "Go annoy Ivykit; I'm trying to sleep!" she growled, then tucked her limbs underneath her so that Rosekit couldn't step on them.

"I can't! She couldn't sleep last night, and mother told me not to bother her!"

Daisy was growing fed up with Rosekit's prodding. "Then _I don't care_ who you play with," she meowed. "Just, please ask one of the other kits."

"But they're all asleep!" Rosekit protested. "I wouldn't want to wake them!"

Daisykit rolled her eyes in annoyance and twitched her ear. "Well, if you keep trying to get me to play, I'll tell mother!" With the warning given, she dropped her head on her mother, Leaftail's flank.

"But-"

"No." Daisykit interrupted her sister before she could actually convince her to get up.

"Fine," Rosekit muttered, sulking. Daisykit wasn't worried, though. All three sisters argued frequently, but they never could stay mad at each other for more than a day.

Rosekit trotted out of the nursery, probably to find entertainment. _Will mother approve of her going out alone? We're only a moon old, and we've been outside the nursery only a few times, and all of them with mother or father!_

Deciding that she honestly didn't care, and that Rosekit could go and get in trouble as many times as she wanted, Daisykit attempted to pull herself back into a dream-world. _Come on, juicy mouse. I'm gonna catch you! _But no matter how much she tried, Daisykit was too awake to continue sleeping.

With an exaggerated sigh, in case Rosekit was secretly listening, she stood, wobbling slightly on unsteady paws. With an apprehensive glance at her mother, she quietly exited the den.

Daisykit took in the camp with wide eyes. Even though she had seen if before, the sheer openness of it never ceased to amaze her. Tall trees ringed ThunderClan's camp, with the leaves just beginning to turn the red and gold hues of Leaf-fall. Spiky brambles provided protection from outsiders, and small ferns and brush concealed hidden prey. The nursery was only one of many dens; Daisykit couldn't tell why one clan would need so many. One den held the sharp, bitter tang of herbs, another was the sleeping place of many, many cats, and a third was pungent with the scent of mouse bile and old moss.

And then there were the cats. Only a few cats were actually awake and out of their nests, mainly the deputy, Ashcloud, his ginger apprentice, and the warriors on patrols. _Ha, _Daisykit thought triumphantly. _Rosekit was just being mouse-brained. No cat would _actually _be foolish enough to be awake this early unless they had to!_

Ashcloud, who Daisykit had heard her parents talking about frequently, was a large, menacing gray tom with no lack of scars. His unusual yellow eyes seemed to know anything and everything, and secretly, Daisykit was rather afraid of him.

Remembering Rosekit's claim that their father had returned from an early hunting patrol, Daisykit allowed her gaze to sweep the camp for a sign of her father, Owlfeather's, tabby fur. She soon spotted him outside a large den, with Rosekit beside him, jumping and mewling enthusiastically. The red she-kit seemed to be telling a story, based on her excited meows and exaggerated gestures, and Owlfeather's purrs and nods. She approached them in time to hear, "The biggest mouse I've ever seen! And I was _this close _to catching it! Don't you think…"

Owlfeather interrupted his daughter's storytelling with an amused purr. "Have you even seen a live mouse before? You're only a moon old, you know."

"Yes," Rosekit replied, looking exasperated, "But I still see _lots _of mice anyway. I've caught loads of them!"

"_Right,"_ Daisykit purred, unable to help herself. Besides, she couldn't let Rosekit take up _all_ her father's attention!

"Well, I did!" Rosekit meowed, glaring half-heartedly at her sister.

"Of course you did, Rosekit," Owlfeather reassured her. "Or at least, in your dreams she did," he added quietly to Daisykit, making the black-and-white she-kit giggle.

"Are you hungry?" he asked both of them. "You've just transitioned to eating prey, and I caught you a yummy blackbird on the hunting patrol. You can bring it to your mother to share, if you want."

"Oh, yes yes yes!" Rosekit squealed, dashing off to the fresh-kill pile as though her life depended on it.

"Go on," Owlfeather prompted, nudging Daisykit along. "I'll come with you, if you want.

"Yes, please," meowed Daisykit, finally moving to join her sister.

Daisykit purred as they neared the pile. It was heaped high with dead prey, and on the top was a sleek, black raven with shiny feathers. Owlfeather hauled it down from the top, much to the delight of Rosekit and Daisykit.

Rosekit put her nose in the air, inhaling the delicious scent of fresh-kill. She grasped the neck of the bird with her tiny fangs and began dragging it across the camp to the nursery. She had only gone about a fox-length before Owlfeather, whiskers twitching, took it from her and easily carried it the rest of the way.

Leaftail sleepily raised her head as her mate and kits padded into the nursery. "Whatissit…?" she murmured, words slurred from sleep.

"We brought you a raven!" Rosekit chirped, and Leaftail blinked.

"You left the nursery without telling me? Rosekit, Daisykit, you know that's dangerous! Anything could have happened- what if you accidentally wandered out of camp? You're only a moon old; you could never defend yourself!"

Daisykit was really starting to get tired of hearing the phrase, "only a moon old." There was hardly anything "only" about it! She could probably fight off half of ShadowClan if she wanted! (Not that she intended to. The idea of simply leaving camp unaccompanied made her heart splutter in fear.)

Owlfeather had obviously noticed her bristling fur, for he gently laid his tail on his mate's flank. "Calm down, Leaftail," he meowed. "I was with them. And I'm sure that if it came down to it, Daisykit would do anything to protect her sisters, and vice-versa."

Leaftail sighed and nodded, looking down fondly over her kits. "I suppose you're right…"

Just then, Ivykit peeked up over her mother's tail. "Is that food I smell?" she cried eagerly.

"It sure is," Owlfeather laughed, and Ivykit hopped over Leaftail to join her sisters by the bird. Rosekit and Ivykit dug in hungrily, eating with sloppy jaws and spreading feathers everywhere. Daisykit, after watching them in amusement, plucked a few black, almost purple feathers and laid them aside before biting in to the prey.

When they were done, Leaftail took the remains of the squirrel and shared them with Owlfeather. Ivykit and Rosekit had identical expressions of annoyance on their face as crumpled feathers stuck to their muzzles.

Daisykit laughed, and brought her small collection of feathers in front of her. There were the new feathers from the raven, but there were also a few fuzzy gray ones from a dove a few days ago. Her sisters, along with the four older kits in the nursery, Spiderkit, Graykit, Brackenkit, and Morningkit, had all teased her thoroughly for such an impractical hobby. In the words of Ivykit, "Who needs some stupid feathers? I'm gonna hunt prey to _eat, _and be the best hunter ever!"

But Daisykit didn't care. Not much, at least. She admired her pretty feathers for another moment, before tucking them back into their spot in the corner of the nursery.

**So I really don't have much to say. I'll try to update this regularly, along with B&amp;K. Please read and review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**This was out quickly, right? :)**

**I'm happy because of reviews! I got two for this chapter, by… drumroll, please! ...**

**Bobbie1776: Thank you so much for all your reviews, both on this and B&amp;K! I can't say how much your support means to me! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!**

**So… I do appreciate reviews, and I wouldn't mind just a few more... *****wink, wink*******

"We have to eat _that? _Daisykit cried in dismay. A small but plump fish, with scales glistening gray-blue, lay in front of her.

Leaftail sighed. "It's leafbare, sweetheart. Prey is scarce. The best kills go to the elders. Besides, fish are really good! See?" The brown-and-white she-cat bent her head to take a small bite of the prey. It was obvious to Daisykit that her mother was only pretending to like eating the stinky fish, judging by the twisted grimace on Leaftail's face.

"But that's _RiverClan _food!"

"_Please, _Daisykit, listen, just this once," Leaftail pleaded.

_What's that supposed to mean? 'Just this once…' It's like I've never listened to her before! Great StarClan! _Daisykit nudged the offending piece of prey with a pink nose. It smelled like the sour mud she had seen once on an apprentice who had fallen into the river. Stubbornly, she shook her head. She didn't care if she was acting spoiled spoilt; there was no way anyone could force her to eat such disgusting crow-food!

"It's not crow-food," Leaftail said crossly, and Daisykit realized she must have spoken her thoughts aloud. "Your sisters have already eaten their share of prey, and there isn't enough food to be picky. Be grateful for what you have, Daisykit."

The kit glared harshly at her mother, but when Leaftail met that glare with one of her own through narrowed blue eyes, Daisykit reluctantly relented. Hesitantly, she grasped a bit of meat in her fangs and yanked it off the carcass.

She wrinkled her nose, screwing up her face in disgust. "It tastes like dirt and salt!" she spat, after hurriedly swallowing.

Leaftail sighed. "If you eat half of that, I'll let you explore the camp with your sisters _unsupervised._"

Daisykit hesitated, then ripped off chunks of fish and gulped them down before the taste could sink in. "_Fine._"

Leaftail purred, relieved that her daughter had actually obeyed. "Very good," she said approvingly. "Now you can take your scraps to the apprentices. They worked hard catching that, and they could use some extra food."

Daisykit nodded and left the nursery, dragging the half-eaten fish behind her. She scanned the rows of dens, trying to remember which one belonged to the apprentices. Her search was answered when she saw a small, lean black-and-white she-cat exit the elder's den (the only den other than the nursery that Daisykit could recognize), looking disgruntled. She sent a sharp glare over her shoulder before stomping over to another den, murmuring.

Another she-cat, a bright ginger, called to the upset she-cat, "What's got your tail in a twist, Blossompaw? Is Goldenfur being rude again?"

Blossompaw let out a hiss of agreement, much to Daisykit's curiosity. _Is Goldenfur an elder? And why are the apprentices calling him mean? Aren't elders supposed to be peaceful and wise? _

But Daisykit shrugged, then realized that it probably looked weird to see her randomly shrugging in the middle of camp. She licked her chest self-consciously, hurrying over to the den where the two apprentices now sat.

The ginger one glanced at her with slanted green eyes. "Hello, there, kit," she purred. "I'm Redpaw. Are you one of Leaftail's kits?"

Daisykit nodded meekly, noticing that the apprentices were much bigger than her up close. "Ibroughtyouafish," she muttered.

"Huh?" A spotted yellow tom poked his head out of the den, looking around before focusing on Daisykit. "Is that a fish?" he asked eagerly. At Daisykit's nod, he asked, "Is that for us?"

She nodded a second time, and he swiped it with a paw, saying as he retreated into the den, "It's about time the kits and queens started appreciating the food we catch!"

Daisykit flattened her ears, confused. Redpaw laughed lightly. "Don't mind Leopardpaw. He can be a grouch, but he means no harm. Thank you for the extra prey…"

"My name is Daisykit," the kit supplied.

"Daisykit," Redpaw repeated. "Well, thanks again. Now, I'd better go make sure Leopardpaw doesn't hoard that fish all to himself, even if it is just a slimy fish! Bye!"

Daisykit blinked, then smiled hesitantly. "Bye…"

In a good mood, Daisykit walked back to the nursery. Leaftail was waiting for her inside. "Thank you, Daisykit," she purred. "Were the apprentices nice?"

"I only met three," Daisykit answered. "Blossompaw, Leopardpaw, and Redpaw."

A brief but unfamiliar emotion passed swiftly over Leaftail's face. "And what did you think of them?" she asked, after regaining her familiar mask of fondness.

"Well," Daisykit began, unsure of what to say. "Blossompaw was nice enough, I guess. I didn't really talk to her; she just sort of watched me. Leopardpaw scared me…but he didn't seem that malicious, only sort of haughty and intimidating."

"Redpaw?" her mother asked, the expression appearing again.

"Oh, Redpaw was really nice! She asked me my name, and thanked me for the prey, and reassured me that Leopardpaw was more talk than bite! She's my favorite apprentice so far. Maybe she can be my friend when I become an apprentice!"

Leaftail hesitated, looking pained. When she finally answered, her words were forced. "That's…nice...but I'm sure you'll find other friends too…"

Daisykit flattened her ears. _Why doesn't mother like Redpaw?_ she wondered. _I'm not blind; something's up! Well,_ she decided after a moment. _I don't care. If Redpaw wants to be my friend, mother can't stop me!_

If Leaftail noticed her daughter's determined expression, she didn't comment. Instead, the she-cat changed the subject, perhaps sensing Daisykit's suspicions. "It's pretty nice weather, for Leaf-bare. It hasn't snowed yet, and it isn't cold enough for cats to get sick yet…"

Daisykit didn't agree. "But if the weather is still so nice, why are we forced to hunt fish for food?"

Leaftail purred, already, it seemed, past her previous misgivings. "You're thinking like a warrior! With a mind like that, I wouldn't be surprised if you became deputy, and even leader! Imagine, my little Daisykit, all grown up as the proud Daisystar!"

Daisykit shifted uncomfortably. Her, as leader? The prospect scared her too much to dwell on it, but Leaftail was still purred, her eyes glazed with the glory of her prediction. "…The clan will be great, and all will love you! They will bow to the fair and noble Daisystar! Oh! What if they love you so much, you become leader of _all _the clans? I…"

"Okay, mother," Daisykit interrupted, not really caring if her words came off as rude. "Maybe I will be leader- though I hope not, it's such a big job- but it hasn't happened yet, and I certainly won't be leader of the whole forest!"

"Oh, I suppose you're right, Daisykit, although that just proves my point. I got ahead of myself. I just want great things for my great kits." With that, Leaftail licked Daisykit between the ears, flattening a ruffled patch of fur. The she-kit squirmed, as she was supposed to when mothers groomed their kits.

It was only after that she realized she had forgotten her mother's strange attitude towards Redpaw.

**Well! I really like Redpaw, and for some reason Leopardpaw! Does anyone think they know why Leaftail doesn't like Redpaw? **

**Review, please!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Yay! Embersky's being good and updating both of her stories in the same week! Hmm… I can't think of anything else to say, except for: Thanks so much for the reviews, guys!**

**Potatotheumbreon: Thanks for the review!**

**MidnightAuraKitty: Thanks! I will!**

**The Mystical Palm Tree: Thank you so much for the thoughtful review! **

**LazyGrasswing(ofWingclan): Thanks for the review and your continued support! :)**

**So… Onto the chapter!**

"So, Daisykit! What should we do? Do you wanna play badger hunt? You can be the badger! Or- oh! Let's ask Birchlight and Cloverpelt and Shadefur to show us battle moves! Or maybe- Daisykit! Are you even listening?"

Daisykit snapped to attention instantly, nodding eagerly at Graykit, who narrowed his pale green eyes skeptically. "Of course! We were discussing…er…oh, yeah! What to do! Sure, let's ask the warriors to show us techniques!"

Daisykit was immensely relieved when Graykit nodded enthusiastically. It had just been a lucky guess on her part, for she knew that the gray tabby kit was determined to be the best fighter ever, and often went to the warriors for pre-training advice.

"Well?" Spiderkit, Graykit's brother (who was identical to him in everything except for pelt color), asked. "Are we going or not?"

"Yes, Spiderkit, you bossy furball," Morningkit purred, flanked by Rosekit and Ivykit. "Don't get your tail in a twist. We're going!"

And so the assembly of all six kits (Daisykit, Rosekit, Ivykit, Graykit, Spiderkit, Morningkit, and Brackenkit) padded as one out of the nursery. Spiderkit and Graykit, the natural leaders of the group, led the way proudly to the nearly empty warrior's den.

"Aw," Spiderkit whined, causing Ivykit and Daisykit to snicker. "They're not all here!"

"Shadefur is," Brackenkit pointed out helpfully, always the voice of reason. "We could just ask him."

"No!" gasped Graykit and Spiderkit, as though they had rehearsed synchronized responses. "We shouldn't," Graykit added. He's scary. I'll only go to him of there are other warriors around. One time, I tripped and landed in a puddle, splashing him. You should've seen him! He was as big as a badger and as angry as one too! It was terrifying!"

Daisykit shook herheadslightly, amused at Graykit's obvious exaggerations. Or at least, she _hoped _they were just exaggerations. Shadefur was big enough already, towering over the young kits. He didn't need to get any bigger to scare her!

Daisykit quickly looked away from the menacing warrior, only to notice that the other kits were gone. _Scaredy-mice,_ she thought in amusement, then turned around and hurried after them.

The five other kits were engaged in a game of moss-ball, making Daisykit sigh. She

_Hated_ moss-ball. What was the point of hurling scraps of bedding at each other? The only games Daisykit really enjoyed were the games of make-pretend, where they all pretended to be loyal and brave fighters, holding their own against a new foe each time. But moss-ball certainly wasn't anything like that, so when Ivykit and Rosekit caught her eye and signaled for her to join, she smiled and shook her head, feeling only the slightest hint of guilt at their disappointed expressions.

She turned to go back to the nursery, perhaps to listen to a story Leaftail or the nice soon-to-be-mother, Vineflower, might tell her. But her paws protested. _We're not tired!_ They seemed to tell her. _We want to have some fun!_ So Daisykit looked around the camp for something else to do. The leader's den was boring, and off-limits anyways. The elders held no more appeal than the queens, and all the warriors but Shadefur were off doing something.

_That leaves the apprentices!_ Daisykit thought delightedly. She hadn't had a chance to see any of them since she gave them the half-finished fish a moon and a half ago. Her tail prickled excitedly at the prospect of talking to Redpaw and Blossompaw, scoffing at Leopardpaw's haughty ways, and meeting the other apprentices, whose names were Hawkpaw, Toadpaw, and Moonpaw.

Eager once she set her mind to it, Daisykit whirled around, and hesitated for just a moment before scrambling towards what she now knew was the apprentice's den. She skidded to a halt, only barely avoiding crashing roughly into the ragged den wall, and poked her head inside. To her disappointment, there were only two apprentices in the den: Leopardpaw and a large, black-pelted tom with gleaming blue eyes. _Hmm… _Daisykit thought. _He can't be Moonpaw- she's female- but is he Hawkpaw or Toadpaw?_

Her question was answered when Leopardpaw rolled over lazily and asked the tom, "Have you seen Toadpaw?" _He must be Hawkpaw, then. _

Just as lazily, Hawkpaw shook his head with a soft growl. Daisykit realized that they hadn't seen her yet, so she smoothed her fur and hissed softly to get their attention. _After all, if Redpaw and Blossompaw are out training, I guess I can just hang out with them…_

Leopardpaw heard first, and glanced slowly in her direction, probably thinking that she was another apprentice back from training. When he saw her, he looked confused for a heartbeat before recognition filled his gaze. "Hey- I remember you! The fish!" And then, he turned to Hawkpaw. "Hawkpaw, this is Fish-kit. Fish-kit, Hawkpaw. Hawkpaw, Fish-kit."

Daisykit felt her pelt burn in embarrassment at being remembered and named for a piece of prey. She shrunk into her pelt as Hawkpaw regarded her with a bland curiosity. "You don't look like a Fishkit," he remarked.

"That's not her _real _name, furball," Leopardpaw purred. "Her real name is…" The spotted tom hesitated for a moment before turning to glance quizzically at Daisykit, who had been watching the apprenticed with wide, awe-filled eyes.

"Daisykit," She supplied shyly.

"That's right. Daisykit. She's just Fish-kit to me."

"Do I dare ask?" Hawkpaw wondered out loud, then turned to Daisykit, shrugging. "I guess not. Take my advice, Daisykit. Never try to look into Leopardpaw's mind. Nothing he does makes any sense. Ever."

Leopardpaw hissed indignantly, but his eyes were friendly. "You're one to talk!"

"So," Hawkpaw addressed Daisykit. "What made you come over here? The other's are out taking assessments, and I doubt you'd come looking for us…"

Daisykit suddenly felt extremely foolish. _Why_ did she think it was a good idea to just barge into the apprentice's den and see if her new friends were there to play? And if said friends _weren't _there, why hadn't she just left with the typical excuse of 'I got lost?'

Daisykit realized that she could still use that excuse, and was just about to, when Pinetail, the dark red medicine cat, poked her nose in the den.

"Daisykit?" she asked, sounding worried. When she saw the dappled kit, she sighed in relief. "_There _you are. Leaftail was worried. The other kits had all returned long ago, and she thought you might've left camp to explore."

With a nod to both apprentices, who dipped their heads in return, she hurried Daisykit to the nursery and rushed her inside. "Leaftail," she panted. "I found her!"

"Daisykit!" Leaftail purred. "Thank StarClan you're okay!" The she-cat seemed to remember something and looked up from her kit and at Pinetail. "…Thank you, _Pinetail," _she meowed, but it sounded much more like a hiss. The queen's blue eyes had an unknown emotion in them that frightened Daisykit. The kit couldn't remember ever being afraid of her own mother, but she still found herself warily backing away from Leaftail's faintly trembling form.

Pinetail hadn't reacted well to Leaftail's poorly hidden hostility. She hissed and gathered herself onto her haunches, as though preparing to pounce. _Well, if she's going to start a fight with mother, _Daisykit thought dryly, _she should get some help first. She's a medicine cat, and Leaftail's a trained warrior. _

But, judging from the anger sparking in the normally docile medicine cat's eyes, Pinetail was planning to attack anyway. Daisykit hastily put herself in the middle of the two she-cats and turned to Pinetail. "Thank you for bringing me back," she meowed, even though she would rather have stayed, undiscovered, in the apprentice's den, making new friends. She turned around and addressed her mother. "And you're thankful, too, right?"

Leaftail purred, but the sound was jerky and forced. "Of course I am, honey. Now, would you mind finding Ivykit? I think she's annoying the elders again."

Not wanting to further agitate her mother, even if it was obvious that the order was just an excuse for her to leave, Daisykit agreed and scurried out of the den, on a mission. However, when she finally got to the elder's den, its only inhabitants were Robinsong and Featherflight, who both blinked lethargically at her. "Sorry!" she muttered, not wanting to disturb the elders. She didn't wait for them to acknowledge her before exiting the den as quickly as she had come.

She looked around for Ivykit, wondering where else her sister could be. She checked in Ivykit's usual hiding spots, just incase Graykit had decided on a game of hide-and-seek, but all she found was Rosekit, the pretty ginger she-kit lazing in the patch of sun behind the warrior's den.

_Where is Ivykit?_ Daisykit had looked everywhere, even peeking into the warrior's den to ask if they knew. They didn't.

Daisykit was about to give up and return to the nursery, when she scented something. It was the clear scent of her sister, and it was fresh- fresh enough that Ivykit had been nearby just a few heartbeats ago. Daisykit felt a keen sense of pride at locating her sister, but it tapered into worry when she saw where the scent-trail led. Following it, Daisykit weaved between dens before pausing. Horror filled her. The trail continued past the thorn barrier, where no one was currently guarding, and straight out of camp!

The dappled she-kit wasted no time. She pelted back to the nursery to alert Leaftail. Leaftail would know what to do. Urgently, Daisykit shoved rudely through the throng of cats that _surely _hadn't been this thick a moment ago. After what seemed like moons, she finally reached the nursery, out of breath. She had every intention of barging in, but she heard a thread of conversation that made her stop in her tracks and forget all about her urgency.

"…And what right do _you _have, lecturing me on how to raise kits, when you can't even claim your kits as your own?"

_That was Leaftail talking, _Daisykit realized. _And that means she must be talking to Pinetail. _It seemed impossible. _Pinetail has kits? But she's a medicine cat. _Unconsciously, Daisykit swiveled her ears and drew closer to the entrance to hear more.

"Don't play dumb with me, Pinetail! You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about. I noticed, you know. When you suddenly put on weight, in the coldest days of leaf-bare. Everyone thought you were stealing prey. But, Pinetail, I was your best friend. And I know a pregnancy when I see one."

It was proof, real, actual proof, of what Daisykit had inferred. _But- but Pinetail- she can't have had kits! It's against the warrior code- and besides, surely some cat other than Leaftail would have noticed, too! _But the evidence was being stacked, before her eyes, higher and higher, into a tower of unflinching truth.

"And I think we all know that your _kit _is still in this clan, a loyal apprentice! She's proof of your crimes, Pinetail. Proof of your betrayal."

_Betrayal?_ Daisykit thought. She was definitely intrigued, although she could never have predicted what she next heard.

"_Redpaw _is proof of your disloyalty to the warrior code."

**Well… Hmm… I like these ANs, but I can never think of anything to say. Except for review. And you guys were awesome last chapter, but for some reason I always seem to get more reviews when I beg, and less when I just casually mention it. So REVIEW! Thanks! :) Oh, and happy late Halloween! **


	5. Chapter 4

**Hello lovely readers! I guess I'm in a good mood today… but I don't know why… :) And sorry for the supremely long wait, both on this and B&amp;K. Rest assured I will never abandon my fanfics… and to do some self advertising, **_**please **_**read Betrayals and Kittypets if you can! Please? *****puppy-dog eyes*******

**Grasswing of Wingclan: Haha, thanks! Sorry about the wait!  
**

**Duchess Shadowthorne: Thanks for the kind review! It means a lot! :)**

**Ciara1214: Thanks for the review! And haha, yeah, I couldn't resist. XD**

**And without further ado…**

_Redpaw is proof of your disloyalty to the warrior code._

_Redpaw is proof._

_Redpaw…_

The world spun as things blurred into a dreamlike state. _That's it. I'm dreaming. This is just a terrible, horrible dream where Redpaw should never have been born and Ivykit just ran away- Ivykit!_

Disregarding her sudden dizziness brought on by shock, Daisykit stood up on her paws with a new purpose. In her shock at the secrets she had overheard, she had completely forgotten her reasons for visiting the nursery in the first place. _Got to tell mother about Ivykit!_

The she-kit scrambled ungracefully into the nursery, landing in a ruffled heap on the den floor. Leaftail and Pinetail, who had continued their argument after Daisykit had stopped listening, broke off abruptly to stare at the kit. "H-How long have you been out there," Leaftail rasped.

"No time!" Daisykit gasped. "Ivykit- out of camp! Help!"

Part of her noticed how her trembling legs couldn't support her, how her heart was beating much too fast to be healthy. She supposed she was going into shock. But they _had _to get Ivykit…StarClan knew how long her sister had been out of camp. Anything could've happened! Foxes, badgers, twolegs, monsters, falling trees, an enemy clan…!

"What? How? When? We have to go!" Leaftail made to leave, but was halted but a red tail in her face.

"Wait and _think_ for a heartbeat," Pinetail ordered. "You could need backup. Form a search patrol. I'll take Daisykit to my den; she needs thyme for the shock of it."

Leaftail nodded grimly, her quarrel with the other she-cat momentarily forgotten. The brown-and-white queen dashed out of the nursery, presumably to find the deputy.

Pinetail wrapped her tail around Daisykit, who was still curled up in a tense ball on the nursery floor, eyelids flickering. _Redpaw. Redpaw is… forbidden? And Ivykit… she's gone… Everything's falling apart… Oh, StarClan, what can we do? Help… Ivykit… Redpaw… _

Daisykit suddenly blinked her eyes open. She had…fallen asleep? _But what about Redpaw and Ivykit? Is Ivykit okay? Did they find her? What should I do? _She became aware of a russet-colored, plumy tail waving in her face. "Oh, good, you've woken up, and can focus on me," the medicine cat meowed, sounding relieved.

"Pinetail- what happened? What-"

"Flamefoot is leading a patrol right now to find Ivykit. Everything will be all right."

Normally Daisykit would be annoyed at the shallow words spoken so often by the older cats, but all she could feel was relief. _They'll find Ivykit. It will all be fine. It will all be _fine.

Then she remembered the other issue. _Redpaw! Redpaw…is Pinetail's daughter. _"Pinetail," she began, then paused. _Is this really a good idea? I bet Pinetail wants it to be a secret…what will she do if she knows I was eavesdropping? _"Well, what I mean to say is, well… Uh, I meant, uh… I just-"

Luckily, she was saved from having to continue stammering out a barely thought-up excuse, when Redpaw (_Of course, _thought Daisykit. _Who else would it be?) _poked her head in.

The ginger apprentices nodded shyly at the medicine cat, and said, "I heard Daisykit got hurt. I just wanted to see if she's okay..."

"Of course!" Pinetail agreed, much too quickly if you asked Daisykit. Then, she was struck with another horrifying question. _Does Redpaw know?_

_StarClan, I hope not. _Daisykit might have just been a kit, but she knew for certain that the clan and the warrior code scorned those of forbidden birth…and hated them even more for lying about it.

"Hello, Redpaw," Daisykit greeted. "Thank you for coming to visit me." She wasn't sure what else to say to the ginger apprentice. They weren't even friends… were they? Besides… Now she knew a secret.

"Oh, come on," Redpaw teased. "I won't bite!"

"Sorry," Daisykit muttered, wishing she knew what to say to break the silence. It had been so much easier when Redpaw was nothing more than an ordinary apprentice, not a forbidden kit of the medicine cat. _Wait- who's her father? _

The question only added more unease to the current mood. Daisykit flattened her ears. "I'm sorry," she added again. "It's just- I- I'm worried about my sister." There. That was as good an excuse as any. Besides, it was the truth, in a way.

A shout from outside interrupted whatever Redpaw was going to say next. "Oops! Ashcloud wants me… I'd better go! See you later!"

_Who could possibly be the father of a medicine cat's kits? Was it a kittypet, or a loner or rogue…or maybe a cat from another clan! But there's no way in StarClan that the father was a ThunderClan warrior! Right? _

_No warrior of ThunderClan would ever betray his clan like that…_

_I'm sure._

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!" The call from Mossystar broke through her thoughts._ I can't catch my own prey…but then again, I've never tried. I want to see what's going on! _

Her mind made up, Daisykit gathered her paws below her and pushed, slowly wobbling upright. Her legs shook slightly, but she really wanted to get to the meeting, so she staggered to the den opening.

"Daisykit!" Pinetail intercepted her. "What are you doing out of your nest? The meeting isn't for kits, anyway!"

"But… I want to know what's going on!" she whined. Daisykit knew that she was behaving like a moon-old kit, but she couldn't quite care. "Please? There aren't any kits old enough to become apprentices right now… So I want to know what else is going on!"

"It could just be some apprentices being made warriors, or warriors joining the elders… But if you really want to come, at least let me help you." With that, the medicine cat grabbed Daisykit's scruff in her jaws and heaved the kit into the air, so that only her hind paws brushed the ground.

"Hey!" Daisykit protested. "Let me down! I'm not a tiny kitten anymore!" She squirmed and twisted, but Pinetail held firm.

"You wanted to come to the meeting," the she-cat reminded her through a mouthful of fur. "And this is the only way I'll let you go."

She left the den, careful to keep Daisykit from swinging too much. She then deposited the kit next to Rosekit and the others, who had finally ceased their game in favor of the meeting.

With a final glare at the medicine cat, Daisykit shook her fur out to regain some sense of dignity. Morningkit and Rosekit, beside her, were snickering. "Shut it," she growled, smacking them on the head with her tail.

"Sorry," Rosekit giggled. "I'm glad you're okay," she added with a fond look at her sister. "And I hope Ivykit is…"

"I bet she will be," Daisykit meowed. _It's strange to be the one _doing_ the reassuring this time…_ "After all, there are lots of warriors looking for her."

"You're right."

"Cats of ThunderClan!" Mossystar addressed the clan, her tortoiseshell fur looking impeccable as always, her tail waving regally. On either side of Daisykit, Morningkit and Rosekit gazed up at the leader, undisguised admiration on their faces. "I want to be just like her when I'm older," Morningkit breathed. Secretly, Daisykit agreed, but she kept her face impassive.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I summoned you here," the leader continued. "Well, I would like to, first, call up an apprentice who has worked hard to get where she is today. Redpaw, come here."

Her peers nudged the apprentice forward, confusion written in her eyes. From the similar puzzled look on the face of Ashcloud, her mentor and the deputy, Daisykit realized that she couldn't be being made a warrior, unless it was a surprise.

"Now," Mossystar looked around the crowd, meeting the gazes of every warrior, queen, apprentice, kit, and elder in the clan. "I have been told a _very _interesting story by one of the queens in this clan. Leaftail, would you mind?"

The brown-and-white queen stepped to the base of the rock. "Cats of the clan," she addressed them as Mossystar had. "I have learned a horrible secret about this apprentice here. Redpaw, as most of you know, was found as a kit by our medicine cat, Pinetail, on the edge of the territory."

Nods of agreement circulated throughout the clan. Daisykit realized, with a growing feeling of horror, exactly where Leaftail was going with this. And from the spiking of Pinetail's fur, the medicine cat realized it, too.

"Well, I'm here to tell you that that's not true. I have recently discovered that Pinetail has been lying to us all for moons. All of us… including her daughter, Redpaw."

Mossystar grimly watched the clan's reactions, along with the horrified Daisykit. _I have to do something! They'll exile Redpaw because she should never have been born! What do I do?_

Mossystar held up her spotted tail. "Wait," she ordered, silencing the whispers and gasps that sprang up with the announcement. "Let's not jump to conclusions. How do you know this?" she asked, turning to Leaftail.

Leaftail sucked in a breath, as though she didn't want to say what she was about to. "I know because… Owlfeather told me."

The clan seemed even more confused with the addition of this piece of information. "Owlfeather?" Mossystar repeated. "Your mate? What does he have to do with this?"

"Owlfeather… He's the father. My mate is also Pinetail's. Owlfeather is… is Redpaw's father."

"_What?" _The ginger apprentice swiveled her gaze among the talking cats, who had obviously forgotten she was there. "I find out, all at once, that not only am I the kit of _Pinetail, _the _medicine cat, _but also that my father is a loyal ThunderClan warrior _who already has a mate?!_"

Pinetail winced, and turned to her daughter. "I-I meant to tell you…"

"You _knew? _You knew all this time and you didn't tell me?"

Mossystar intervened again before the apprentice could get angrier. "And what does Owlfeather have to say for himself?"

The tabby warrior was shoved forward, in a considerably less gentle manner than the other cats had been pushed to the front. He seemed to wilt with the gazes of every cat on him. "I… have nothing to say. It's… it's true."

_What? _Daisykit felt like she was going to pass out. _Owlfeather, my _father, _has had kits with Pinetail!_

**Well, dun dun dun! Haha, I don't have that much to say. What are your thoughts on this chapter? And, because I'm so unpredictable about updates, if I don't see you again before the holidays, then… Merry (almost) Christmas, everyone! Please review! :)**


	6. Chapter 5

**Sorry about the wait – but for once, I have an excuse! My computer's acting up, my phone screen broke… StarClan, technology hates me.**

**On the other hand, can I say how grateful I am for the reviews I've received?**

**Random person: Haha, yep!**

**Guest(1): Yeah, I kinda agree. That seems to be the popular opinion right now…**

**Guest(2): Thank you for your support! And sorry for the annoying waits between updates.**

**Ciara1214: Thank you very much for your reviews! They made me giggle quite a lot.**

**Dawny: How can I say this… Thank you very, very much for that review. It is most certainly the reason this chapter is up when it is. Though I hope you're still reading this, and you haven't given up. **

The world spun in dizzying circles, blurring faces and voices into one. Daisykit's thoughts – all of them, the good and the bad – faded into nothing more than a mild, barely-registered concern. Was that Redpaw, staggering backwards, because she, of course, had found out along with the rest of them? Was that Owlfeather, the cat Daisykit had called 'father' for moons, speechless and guilty? Was that Leaftail, her ever-gentle mother, spitting insults even now?

If all of that was true, which Daisykit was certain of in the distant part of her mind that was still rational, then perhaps she should have been feeling more than calm, numb acceptance.

But she couldn't even work up the strength of mind to flinch when Redpaw turned tail and dashed out of camp.

They were half-siblings now.

The thought sprang from nowhere, and refused to leave. It was funny, in an ironic, cruel sort of way, that it had just so happened to be _her _father now be the father of _her _new friend.

_Well,_ Daisykit amended her earlier thought. _I suppose we aren't half-siblings _now. _We always were._

_I just didn't know it._

Still, that didn't change anything – it couldn't change anything! She was what: four moons old? Five? Daisykit couldn't bother with something as trivial as her own age, not right now. But, either way, she was just a kit! Kits should care only about their next game, and their nearing apprenticeships (or so she had overheard the elders say). She shouldn't _have _to be bothered with all these things – disloyal fathers, vengeful mothers, sneaking medicine cats…

But somehow, though StarClan knew why, it was happening. And it was happening to her.

_And _by StarClan, _I'm going to fix this._ She couldn't be like those she-cats in nursery stories – the ones who sat around uselessly waiting for all their problems to disappear, which they usually did. No, she would take things into her own paws.

She would be strong. She _had _to be.

Her life would be put back together, one pawstep at a time.

Starting by finding Redpaw and bringing her back to camp.

With the thought startlingly decisive in her mind, Daisykit began towards the camp entrance with slow, measured steps. Some little voice in the back of her mind – the same one that had been urging her to _feel _something at all the drama – warned her that dashing off would only tire her, cutting her search for Redpaw – and therefore her plan to make things better – pitifully short.

So it was with ease that Mothpelt, who, as another queen, was almost like a second mother to her, grabbed her by the scruff, effectively halting her.

"Now, where do you think you're going, Daisykit?" She asked once she had put Daisykit down. "I could see where you were heading. Now, I know this is a lot for you to take in," she added, eyes softening, though her tone remained stern. "But that doesn't mean you can escape from all this by running away."

"I _wasn't _running away," protested Daisykit, sulking like the petulant kit she was. "I wanted to find Redpaw." Her determination from moments ago faltered, her arguments sounding petty and weak.

Mothpelt seemed not to hear her – or, at least, not to care. "So why don't we go back to the nursery. Rosekit is already there. She was pretty upset about it, naturally, but interesting how soon enough, her thoughts turned to her _dear_ sister – were you okay? Where were you? Shouldn't I go check on you?

"Well, she _insisted _I come find you," the queen continued. "And good thing she did, or you would have run away without anyone noticing, and then we'd have _three _cats to find."

The few scraps of resolve Daisykit had left over melted away like the last snowflakes of New-leaf, leaving behind an empty wretchedness and guilt. How could she have forgotten Rosekit? This must have affected her sisters just as badly, and all she could care about was _her own_ life, _her own _feelings. StarClan, she was selfish. She had nearly run off to help herself, not sparing a thought for the others this discovery had had an impact on.

Wait.

Her _sisters._

_Wait. _

_Three _cats missing?

_Ivykit!_

Not only had she neglected to realize the pain that Rosekit must be going through, but she had completely forgotten about her other sister.

The one that had wandered out of camp to explore earlier in the day, and hadn't returned.

_But I shouldn't be panicking, _Daisykit attempted to rationalize. _A warrior – was it Flamefoot? – is leading a patrol right now to find her._

But she still felt unchangeably guilty. Hadn't she, for the brief moments before her world came crashing down onto her, been frantic over worry for her adventurous sister? Then, the minute something came along to disturb her fragile peace-of-mind, she completely forgot about everyone except herself, including her sister.

Who _still_ didn't know about Pinetail and Owlfeather.

Great StarClan.

How could she _face _her sister after this? She would never be able to forget that they had _another sister _(or half-sister… Daisykit wasn't concerned with details), that Ivykit didn't even know about! She'd be faced with a crushing guilt, but she'd stay silent… She didn't think she could bear to destroy Ivykit's cheerfully optimistic spirit with such startling news.

Although, perhaps it was better that Ivykit hear it from her; with the clan's natural affinity for gossip, she was bound to find out about Pinetail and Owlfeather, and by extension, Redpaw, sooner rather than later.

And StarClan forbid she find it out from their father himself, or any of the insensitive warriors or elders who would tell her instantly.

So maybe, Daisykit _should_ tell her sister…that is, if some other cat didn't get there first.

For a moment, Daisykit felt an unreasonable envy towards her missing sister. Why should _she_, of all cats, have to bear the burden of all that had happened, while her sister, through being disobedient, should be spared it all? She wished that she could still be ignorant of the truth, if only for a few more heartbeats. Any amount of time without such pain would be a gift from StarClan.

And yet, how could it? StarClan wouldn't be sending her, or any other cat, any gifts. Not now. They couldn't; they had already shattered everything Daisykit held dear, so why would they bother helping her?

No, she couldn't trust StarClan, no matter what any other cat may say.

***Grins sheepishly*******

**It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry!**

**But please review and tell me what you thought!**


End file.
